Five ISKCON devotees from West Bengal were allegedly detained in Khowai, Tripura, on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals. The group later produced Aadhaar cards and other Indian documents during verification and was released. The incident has raised questions over the detention, identity checks and alleged treatment by plainclothes police.
Five devotees associated with ISKCON were allegedly detained by police in Khowai after being suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals while travelling from Mayapur to attend a religious programme, according to sources. The group was later released after producing Aadhaar cards and other documents establishing their Indian identity.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday when two ISKCON monks and three associates reached Khowai to participate in a reading and kirtan programme organised at a residence near A S Roy School in connection with Jhulan Yatra.
The five individuals were identified as Subal Gouranga Das, 44, Joy Mondal, 21, Shanta Kundu, 34, Shikha Rani Mallick, 68, and Ranu Baul, 66. According to sources, all five are residents of Nadia district in West Bengal.
The group had reportedly arrived in the Nripen Chakraborty Avenue area and was waiting beside the road after getting down from a bus. A vehicle arranged to take them to the venue had been delayed, leaving the devotees waiting in the area.
During this period, some police personnel in plain clothes, reportedly associated with the Khowai district police, approached the group and questioned them about their identity. The devotees were subsequently allegedly detained on suspicion that they were Bangladeshi nationals.
They were taken to the Subhash Park police outpost, where their identities and citizenship were checked. According to the complainants, the verification process found Aadhaar cards and other valid Indian documents in their possession. Following the verification, the five were released.
The incident has raised questions among the devotees and others regarding the circumstances that led to their detention and the manner in which their identities were initially questioned. Concerns have also been raised over the alleged involvement of plainclothes personnel and the process followed before the group’s documents were verified.
The allegations have prompted calls for an impartial inquiry into the matter. Those seeking an investigation want authorities to establish the basis on which the five West Bengal residents were suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals and to examine how they were treated during the verification process.
The incident took place during Jhulan Yatra, an important Vaishnavite religious observance marked by prayers, devotional singing, scripture readings and other religious programmes. Devotees associated with ISKCON and other Vaishnavite organisations frequently travel between towns and states to participate in such events.
The five devotees had reportedly travelled from Mayapur, a major centre associated with Vaishnavite traditions in West Bengal, to Khowai for the religious programme.
The episode has since drawn attention to the importance of proper identity verification procedures, particularly when individuals are suspected of being foreign nationals. While checking the citizenship status of suspected undocumented foreigners is a matter for law-enforcement authorities, the allegations surrounding the detention of the five devotees have led to demands that such verification be conducted transparently and in accordance with established procedures.
As of now, the allegations concerning the conduct of the plainclothes personnel and the circumstances of the detention would require official clarification. An impartial inquiry, if ordered, could determine the sequence of events and establish whether proper procedures were followed during the identity verification.
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The incident has also highlighted the movement of religious devotees across state borders during major Vaishnavite festivals and the need for authorities to distinguish between legitimate identity verification and unwarranted harassment. Further details are awaited regarding any official response or inquiry into the matter.
